Strickland seeks re-election on Tribal Council

PEMBROKE — A single candidate filed for the Lumbee Tribal Council during the second week of the filing period.

Incumbent Shelley Strickland filed for re-election to one of the two seats representing District 12, which encompasses Scotland County, Alfordsville and Maxton. Ann Taylor occupies the district’s second seat on the council.

Strickland, a retired law enforcement officer, served on the council for six years before being forced to vacate the seat for three years because the tribe’s constitution does not allow an elected official to serve more than two consecutive three-year terms. He is at the end of the three-year term he was elected to in November 2014.

Strickland did not provide The Robesonian with biographical information or a photo on Friday.

Candidate filings for the Nov. 14 Tribal Council election is moving slowly. The candidate filing period began two weeks ago and only three candidates, including Strickland, have filed. There are seven seats up for election this year. The filing period ends Sept. 21.

The two candidates who filed during the filing period’s first week were Larmari Louise Mitchell for District 2 and Carl Pevia for District 11. District 2 encompasses Back Swamp, Fairmont and Smyrna. District 11 includes all of Hoke County.

The District 2 seat currently is held by Terry Hunt, who has served two consecutive three-year terms and is ineligible to seek re-election. The incumbent in District 11 is Frank Cooper.

Mitchell has served three terms on the council, including 2008 to 2014. Pevia is seeking his first term on the council.

Another council member who has served two consecutive terms and must step aside is District 3 incumbent Lesaundri Hunt. District 3 includes Lumberton, West Howellsville and Clybourn Pines.

To file, a candidate must be at least 21 years old, an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, and must have lived for at least 30 days in the district the candidate wants to represent. The filing fee is $250.

Candidates can file for the election at the tribe’s Elections Office at 707 Union Chapel Road, Suite D, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will remain open until 5 p.m. on the last day of the filing period.

Other seats up for election are: District 5, which includes Oxendine and Prospect and is represented by Jarrod Lowery; District 6, which includes Raft Swamp and North Pembroke and is represented by Douglas Locklear Jr.; District 7, which includes South Pembroke and Union and is represented by Bill Brewington.

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